Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Beckett
The words slip out with ease, but I meant every one of them.
I shouldn’t want her, but I do, and her body and her eyes have been telling me all night that she wants me too.
We aren’t na?ve; we know this won’t go anywhere.
We’re both hurting, trying to find a way through this shitty day, so why not use each other in a way we both clearly need and want.
She leans back, pushing out her breasts and running her index finger down my chest, setting my body on fire and my dick straining in my pants.
I knew the minute I touched her bare skin, I was fucked.
Why did I do it? I know why. I want her.
I want to be wanted, and I think she feels the same way, so why not get lost in each other for the night?
I’ll never see this girl again; she’ll go off and do her thing, live her life, and I can focus on rebuilding mine.
“I like this possessive and jealous streak; I’ve never experienced it before,” she says softly, her hand now landing on my thigh.
“What, never? Your prick of an ex didn’t get jealous?” She shakes her head.
“I don’t think he would have cared if I fucked another man in front of him.”
Anger bubbles up inside of me. How could he be okay with other men ogling her? How did he not appreciate her?
“He’s an idiot, and you deserve better. If you were mine, I’d make sure everyone knew you were untouchable,” I confirm, not acknowledging the weight of my words.
Instead, sliding my hand up her neck and pulling her in closer, so close I think about kissing her right here in the bar but I think better of it when I am forced back to reality as the room erupts into cheers and claps at Ted’s song finally finishing.
Two very drunk women take his spot, and the speaker blasts a Kelly Clarkson Christmas number.
“What else would you do? You know if I was yours?” Noelle asks, urging me to continue with this little fantasy of mine.
“Oh, Noelle, now that’s a loaded question and I’d do a better job showing you than telling you.” She gulps and her body shudders in what I hope is anticipation at my words.
“Can you excuse me? I need to go freshen up,” she says, her speech a little shaky. “Don’t go disappearing on me, okay?” She points at me, giving me a warning look.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I won’t move a muscle.”
“Good boy.” She winks and heads in the direction of the bathroom.
I drag a hand down my face. Jesus, how did I get here? How did my day start so badly and now end in a hotel in the middle of nowhere on Christmas Eve, spending the night with a perfect stranger who has flipped my day on its head, so now, she is all I want.
It’s a bad idea, Beckett. This won’t end well.
I signal for the tab, and Whitney, from earlier, comes over. Four hours ago, she would have been my perfect distraction from my day, but now it’s Noelle or no one.
“What can I get you?” Whitney asks.
“I’d like to settle my tab.” She pouts, disappointment etched all over her face. “You’re leaving with your little girlfriend?” There's a bite to her tone, and I don’t like it.
“No, I just want to settle my bill and head to my room, alone.”
She heads to the cash register, and I take out my wallet ready. What a day.
I sense her before I see her. Noelle places her clutch on the bar top and slides onto the stall beside me, and I think she is my new weakness. One look at her crystal blue eyes and I am a goner. I can’t just walk away from her. Maybe one night is all we need.
“Why don’t we go somewhere a little more private?” she says suggestively, placing her hand over mine just as Whitney comes back with my bar tab and a piece of paper that she slides in front of me.
I look down and it's her fucking phone number. Noelle stiffens beside me.
“I get off at 7 am. I can get the chef to make us some waffles,” Whitney purrs before she side eyes Noelle and then smirks. What a bitch.
“I’ll leave you both to it. Nice meeting you, Beckett,” Noelle says, jaw tight, avoiding my gaze.
“Hey, wait,” I call, grabbing Noelle’s hand and pulling her back. “You don’t understand. Let me explain.” Whitney doesn’t move an inch, and I wish she would piss off.
“Oh, I think I understand perfectly, Beckett. I’ll leave you and Waffle House Wendy here to your evening together.” She swipes her clutch off the bar and steps back.
“It’s Whitney, actually.”
“Whatever,” Noelle says in a mocking tone. “Merry Christmas. See ya.” She storms out as I quickly sign my bill, leaving Whitney's number on the bar before I run to catch up with Noelle.
“Noelle, wait,” I yell just as she steps inside the elevator. I manage to slide in just as the doors close. I pant and try to get my words out. “Noelle, please, Let me explain. That isn’t what you think.”
“I may be young, Beckett, but I am not naive. You’re just the same as the rest of them,” she yells, waving her purse at me.
“Hey, don’t compare me to your ex. I’m nothing like that. Whitney was just trying her luck.”
“Oh sure, that’s what they all say. Be honest, Beckett, you’re just looking for a bit of skirt to keep you company tonight.” Her words are like a slap. She’s so wrong. Yes, I want the company tonight, but I only want hers.
“Noelle, please.” The elevator stops, and I follow her out.
“Look, I’m well aware you are not looking for your next girlfriend, Beckett, but you have strung me along all night, and then I see another girl give you her number.”
“I know, I know that looks bad but believe me when I say I didn’t ask for it. I don’t want her.”
She roots around in her purse.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for my key.” She pulls a key card out of her purse.
“Your room is next to mine,” I state, pointing to the door opposite hers.
She throws her hands up in the air. “Of course it is, because the universe just wants to fuck with me today.”
She goes to put her key in her door, but I stand in front of it.
“Beckett, move, please. I just want to go to bed and forget everything about this day.”
I shake my head, towering over her. “No, this isn’t how this ends. I can’t let you go to bed hating me and believing I’d treat you like that. Hear me out.”
“You don’t know me; you owe me nothing. It was nice meeting you, have a great life, now move.” She attempts to push past me, but I step in front of her, preventing her from getting past me.
“No,” I say, my tone defiant.
She slumps her shoulders in defeat and stuffs the keycard back in her purse. “Okay, you have sixty seconds.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt you. I was paying the tab, and I wanted to tell you…” My words trail off, and I swallow hard.”
“What Beckett. You wanted to tell me what?” She huffs in frustration.
“That I want you,” I blurt out, feeling relieved and like I can breathe easier.
“Don’t lie to me, Beckett. It’s been a long day, and I don’t have time for your games anymore.”
“This isn’t a game, Noelle, I’m serious,” I say clearly and slowly, needing to stress my point.
“Beckett, come on. We flirted, you realized you didn’t want me. It’s fine. I’m a big girl. I can handle rejection. I just don’t like being made a fool of.”
“Noelle, I can’t explain it, but you’ve done something to me tonight, and I know you feel it too.” My hand glides around her waist and I gently press my body against hers, feeling the heat emanating off her.
She looks up at me and shakes her head, her teeth now worrying her bottom lip; something that’s driven me wild all day.
“Don’t do that,” I grumble.
“Don’t do what?”
“This.” I reach out and free her lip from her teeth, and her breathing hitches. I step closer and she takes a step away, causing her back to hit my hotel room door.
“All night, I’ve wondered what it would feel like to bite down on this lip.
” I dust the pad of my thumb over her swollen bottom lip, and a small whimper escapes her.
“I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve got me rethinking everything, and I need more of you,” I say, leaning down to brush my nose with hers.
“Tell me you feel the same way,” I plead softly.
She swallows hard. “We only have one night,” she whispers.
“I know.”
“That’s all I can give you,” she confirms, and hope sparks to life inside of me.
“Is that what you want, Noelle? One night with me?”
“No strings attached. Just one Christmas night,” she confirms, giving me the confidence to do this because there are no expectations past tonight.
I nod in agreement. “Tell me I can make you mine for one night. Say the words, angel, and I’m all yours.” This is insanity, it’s reckless and verging on dangerous, but I can’t stop. I want her in a way I have never wanted anyone.
“Make me yours,” she breathes out, and I don’t miss a beat.
I crash my lips down on hers and when a soft moan escapes from her, I press my body into hers and let myself act on instinct instead of overthinking it, like I do with every part of my life.
I don’t think about the age gap; I don’t think about how messy this could get.
Instead, I hoist her up. She wraps her legs around me, and we make out like a pair of horny teenagers, her hands in my hair, tugging and pulling, deepening our kiss.
I dig my fingers into the bare flesh on her thighs as her dress rides up.
I need to get us out of this hall before I fuck her right here against the door and give level three of this hotel a show.
I clumsily reach into my back pocket for my keycard, never breaking our kiss and slap it against the keypad.
I stumble through the open door into my hotel room.
Noelle giggles against my lips. There is no finesse, we are just two people desperate for each other, and it feels good.
I don’t think anyone has wanted me like this.
Noelle unwraps her legs, and I place her down. She wastes no time, pulling my shirt from the waistband of my pants, and as she does, I work my buttons. She practically tears the shirt away from my body and when it lands on the ground, she takes a moment to roam my naked torso.
“Well, shit, I knew you’d be built like a G.I. Joe doll when you said you were in the Marines, but damn, I think you might be the hottest man I’ve ever seen.”
I don’t know if it’s the champagne talking or if that’s really what she thinks, but I thank her by taking her face in my hands and tilting it, so she has to look at me. Before we do this, I need to know where her head is at.
“How drunk are you?’ I ask.
“Buzzed enough to have the courage to do this, but sober enough to know this is what I want.”
Her hands glide up my six pack and to my chest, and I inhale sharply. “Perfect,” I growl. I whisk her off her feet, earning a squeal of excitement from her and toss her onto the bed on top of the rose petals.
“Rose petals? You really did wanna fuck me,” she says as I climb over her, covering her body with mine. My mouth finds hers; my tongue pushes between her plump lips. My body heats and my dick grows painfully hard with every stroke of her tongue against mine.
“I need to get you out of this dress,” I whisper.
“Do it. I’m yours tonight to do whatever you want with,” she says breathlessly, and her offer does something to me.
“You might regret that offer, angel.” I nip at her bottom lip and lean up to stand on the floor, pulling her up with me.
“Arms up,” I instruct, and like an obedient submissive, she does.
Her willingness only makes my desire for her grow stronger, knowing she wants this as much as me, I gather her dress and lift it over her head before tossing it to the side.
I am left speechless when I stare down at her matching red lace lingerie.
I swallow thickly, needing a second to take in every sculpted curve of her body. The red against her olive skin makes her skin glow under the soft lighting in my hotel room.
“Noelle, you’re fucking incredible.” I smooth my hands over her hips. “This…” I say, tracing over the lace of her bra with my index finger. “This is so fucking sexy.”
“Thank you. It was supposed to be Carson’s Christmas present, but it felt too pretty to let it go to waste.” She presses her breasts to my naked torso, and the feel of her hot skin against mine pulls a low growl from deep within my chest.
“His loss is definitely my gain.”
I tug at the red ribbon that has held her hair in a ponytail all night. I watch in fascination as her hair tumbles down and lands perfectly around her shoulders, framing her face like a goddess.
I take a second to capture this moment, to save it and lock it away in my mind because this is only for tonight. I’ll never see this girl again, so I am going to take everything she's willing to give me and give us both a night we’ll struggle to forget.
“You’re beautiful.” I say as I move her hair over her shoulder and press a kiss to her collarbone. Her head falls to the side exposing her neck, and I take that as my invite to run my tongue up the column of her throat and nip gently at her earlobe.
A little whimper escapes her, and when she bites down on her lip, I almost lose it. I tug it free with my thumb. “This. Fucking. Lip,” I groan. I sink my teeth into her bottom lip, and moan. "It’s driven me wild all night.” I brush the pad of my thumb over her lips, just like before.
“Open,” I demand, and she does. I push my thumb in, and the warmth has me imagining what she would feel like on my dick.
“Suck,” I command, my voice low and husky and when she swirls her tongue over the tip of my thumb and proceeds to suck while looking up at me through dark lashes I almost come in my pants.
“Good girl,” I praise, and it spurs her on. She works my thumb with her mouth as if it were my cock, and if this is what she does, I don’t have a hope of lasting.
I pull my thumb free with an audible pop, and her face contorts in frustration.
“Patience, angel. I’m not rushing this. If we only have one night, we are going to make it last.”